Before class, write the word salvation on the whiteboard. If you are meeting online, you can write salvation on a document and share your screen with the class.
As students enter the classroom, have them discuss their definition of salvation. If they have access to the Internet through their smartphones or other devices (and with teacher permission), they can look up the definition. Encourage students to define salvation not only in the biblical sense, but also discuss other meanings of the word.
- What is the definition of salvation? (One definition, according to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, is: deliverance from danger or difficulty. It might also be defined as deliverance from sin and its consequences through faith in Jesus Christ.)
- What are some harmful things you’ve been delivered from and who saved you? (Give your own non-biblical response to get your students thinking about a broad spectrum of instances of deliverance/rescue. Answers might include: My mom saved me from getting bitten by a mean dog; my dad saved us from getting hit by a car; my best friend rescued my homework from getting ruined in the rain, etc.)
Many of you may have heard of Alex Honnald. This famous rock climber is featured in the Netflix documentary Free Solo. Alex is considered to be very daring—even to the point that people question his choices. He was the “first climber to free solo Yosemite’s 3,000-foot El Capitan wall.” Think about it: he climbed over half a mile straight up—with no ropes, harnesses, or safety nets.
- What could’ve happened if Alex had slipped or fallen on this big climb? (Answers may include: falling, serious injuries, even death.)
- Do you like to do daring adventures, or do you prefer to be in situations in which someone or something could rescue you? (Answers may vary.)
- In your life, who do you expect to rescue you in times of need? (Answers might include: my parents, rescue workers, friends, God, etc.)
Salvation means being rescued from danger, difficulty, or loss. We have all needed to be rescued from something: bullies, weather, accidents—you name it, we’ve encountered it. It’s a part of life. Today we’re going to learn how through the faith of a young man named David, the great Deliverer came and rescued His people from harm. Let’s read on.
Information Source:
Alex Honnald’s website
